The invention relates to a pasteurizing system for pasteurizing animal food having a pasteurizing unit and a cooling unit.
In order to free animal food, in particular milk, from pathogenic germs, it is known to pasteurize it or treat it with germ-destroying agents. In particular, the pasteurization of milk for animal feeding is known by freeing the milk from germs, bacteria, viruses etc. by pasteurization.
In pasteurizing systems for liquid animal food milk, e.g., is generally made aseptic by heating and subsequent cooling. In particular for calves, it is of importance in the initial weeks that they are fed with colostrum, since this contains the most substances for building up defense powers, but it can also be polluted with germs. In order then to protect the young animals against possible pathogens, bacteria, fungi etc., in particular, the colostrum is also pasteurized before it is administered as an animal nutrient.
A problem with the known pasteurizing systems is not the actual pasteurizing unit as such, but the heating and cooling times of the liquid animal food which is still heated, however, during the pasteurizing up to 90° C. The slower this process proceeds, the greater is the risk with milk that valuable milk components are destroyed at temperatures above 42° C. In addition, it is in any case very difficult to pasteurize colostrum since, in contrast to standard milk, it thickens at about 60° C. in a pudding-like manner and blocks the piping. Also, film-like deposits form on the heat-transfer surfaces, which deposits likewise lead to blockages.
In this context, EP 0 604 308 B2 discloses a heat exchange system for controlled cooling of freshly milked animal milk in which a heat exchanger is provided having two concentrically arranged circuits or lines between which the heat exchange takes place, more precisely in one line water for the cooling flows and in the other line the milk which is to be cooled flows.
However, proper pasteurizing systems are known from EP 1 494 960 B1, EP 1 610 618 B1 and EP 1 613 167.
The object of the present invention is to provide a practicable pasteurizing system for pasteurizing liquid animal-origin foods such as milk, and in particular colostrum, for aseptic animal feeding, in which, in particular, rapid gentle heating and cooling of the liquid food to the service temperature as animal food is ensured. Conversely, at the same time it should be possible using this system to gently preheat cooled liquid animal foods before they are pasteurized. In addition, suitable methods for operating the pasteurizing system are stated.